Learning

Summer is learning... a lot!  Not much escapes her attention, and she often will remind me of things I have forgotten, including names of people we have met!  Her "wheels" are always turning as she continually processes information and makes connections about what we are seeing/doing/hearing.  Character-wise, we are working a lot on obedience lately.  When she disobeys, instead of getting a time-out as she used to, she gets something of importance taken away for a time.  Then each time she wants to play with that item, it is an opportunity for us to discuss again why it was taken away and that obedience is important.  Then, when the item is given back, (after naptime for a morning offense and the next morning for an evening offence) the slate is wiped clean.  You can tell what kind of day we are having by how many stuffed animals and other items are on top of the dresser  :-).  I think this technique seems to be working in getting her to constantly think about how important obedience is.  It also allows me to provide a consequence when the disobedience occurs in a place that is inconvenient for me to give her a time out, such as in the store or at church.  I hope and pray that God works in her little heart so that she desires to do right from the inside out!  We talk about how Summer needs to obey Mommy and Daddy, and Mommy and Daddy need to obey God, and when Summer obeys Mommy and Daddy she is obeying God too.  Summer is also learning a lot about counting (we are working on counting up to 25) and starting to write her letters.  She is getting better at tracing.  Here are two videos of during "tot-school" this morning...she is very focused as she traces in the first video, and erases in the second.  She loves the dry erase markers!

 

Happy 8 months Colton!

I love this little guy!!!  He is so smiley, laughs a ton, super cuddly, and just an overall sweetheart!  Happy 8 months little buddy!

**This month he is completely sitting up on his own, eating meat, scooching all over backwards and turning, loves his jumper, entertains himself chewing on toys, is getting his two canine top teeth, is just starting to cry a bit when mommy leaves the room (but is easily distracted), can sit up in the bath tub now, takes two naps a day (usually 10ish and 2ish), is still waking up at night for a bit of crying but puts himself back to sleep, loves all food, sturdy when standing, and my favorite little boy :-).

**Just a disclaimer...I know there are stairs in the background of this picture...they are farther away than they appear!  I plopped him here for a picture real quick today and realized later that it appears very dangerous!  I never let him play in front of the stairs :-).

December Fun

We had a fun December weekend baking Christmas cookies and playing in our first big snowfall today (we got over 12 inches of snow!)  Here are a few pictures and videos....

These first two videos are of Summer and Daddy's dance party on Friday night...Summer was teaching Daddy how to dance....!

On Saturday we went to Grandma and Grandpa Kirkwood's house for a big cookie baking party!  Here are a few pictures (Thanks, Grandma!).

The kids had fun playing with Grandma's toys

Auntie Kristin and Grandpa working on the cornflake wreaths

Uncle Eric and I working on the the peanut butter Hershey kiss cookies

Summer coloring

Auntie Kristin, Colton, and Tucker

Working on getting the frosting just the right consistency

Auntie Kristin made an engagement ring sugar cookie

Frosting the butter cookies

Cuddle time

On Sunday we played out in the snow after church.  It was Colton's first time in the snow, and Summer's first time this year...she has been looking at pictures of when we played in the snow LAST year and was so excited for it to snow again!  Here are a few pictures and videos.... 

Daddy making a snow angel for Summer...(p.s. I love this guy :-) )

The boys

Daddy and Summer

The "first" time Paul cleared our driveway!  It just kept snowing....!

This video shows Tucker racing around, and Summer favorite snow-pasttime....cleaning the snow off everything!

Colton's first time in the snow...